Geared hoist or puller



W. S. MORROW GEARED HOIST OR FULLER Sept. 18, 1962 Filed Jan. 50, i9

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. \A/ILUAM Q. Momow BY Wit M ATTORNEYS P 18, 1962 w. s. MORROW 3,054,597

GEARED HOIST OR FULLER Filed Jan. 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

WILLIAM MAIZQOW BY MiR/VEYQ 3,054,597 GEARED HGIST R PULLER Wiiliam S. Morrow, 8309 W. 69th, Merriam, Kans. Filed Jan. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 85,669 2 Claims. (Cl. 254-161) This invention relates to hoists or pullers, and more particularly to portable load-moving devices for lifting loads, tightening fence wire, and other lifting and pulling operations.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a portable load-pulling device which can pull in any direction and has a drive that may be quickly released to free the load-pulling member; to provide such a device having an elongate flexible member adapted at the ends for connection with a load and having an intermediate portion engaged with a driven member of a worm gear drive wherein the worm and gear provide self-locking to hold the load; to provide such a structure with an eccentric mounting of one of the worm and gear for selective relative movement in and out of meshing engagement of said worm and gear; to provide such a structure with an operator for relative movement of the worm and gear in and out of meshing engagement and a latch mechanism restricting said relative movement and selectively locking said worm and gear in meshing relation; to provide such a device that is lever-actuated, light in weight, compact, and that can be operated with a minimum of effort in supplying substantial pulling force; to provide such a device in which the pulling member can be easily pulled therefrom, connected to a load and the slack in the pulling member quickly taken up before pulling effort is exerted; and to provide a load-pulling device that is of simple, sturdy construction, economically manufactured with a minimum of working parts, easily disassembled for service, and that is convenient and efiicient in use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention. L

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the pulling device in use for tightening fence wire.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the pulling device taken on the line 22, FIG. 4, with the worm and gear disengaged.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the pulling device similar to FIG. 2 with the worm and gear in meshing relation.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view through the pulling device taken on the line 4-4, FIG. 3, with portions broken away to show the fastening of sections together.

FIG. 5 is a detail sectional view through the eccentric latch in locking position.

FIG. 6 is a similar sectional view through the latch in released position.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the Worm drive and mounting unit.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The numeral 1 generally designates a hoist or pulling device preferably consisting of a frame or housing 2 having a load or support connecting member 3 extending therefrom and adapted to be secured to an anchor or other member to resist a force supplied thereby and a flexible member 4 extending from the housing in opposed relation with connector members 5 on the ends thereof for connection to a load or other member to which an opposite force is to be applied. The elongate flexible member 4 has its intermediate portion trained over and operatively connected or engaged with driving means 6 located within the housing, as later described, whereby Patented Sept. 18, 1962 operation of the driving means will apply a pulling force on the elongate flexible member 4. In the structure illustrated, the housing 2 has cup-like housing sections 7 and 8 which are suitably secured together by fastening means such as bolts 9 whereby facing edges 10 and 11 of end walls 13 and 14 and facing edges 15 and 16 of side walls 17 and 18 of the sections 7 and 8 respectively are held in engagement. The sections 7 and 8 have oppositely disposed walls 19 and 20 respectively which, in assembled relation, the wall 19 formed a forward wall and the wall 20 a rearward wall of the housing. The housing also has end walls 21 and 22 on the sections 7 and 8 respectively opposite the end walls 13 and 14 that have mating cut-out portions cooperating to form an opening 23 through which the flexible elongate member 4 extends. In the structure illustrated, the connecting member 3 is a hook having a shank 24 pivotally mounted in a bore 25 in the end wall 13, said hook having a shoulder 26 engaging the outer surface of the end wall 13 and a nut and washer 27 and 28 on the inner end of the shank within a chamber 29 defined by the housing. The washer 28 is positioned between the nut 27 and the end wall 13 of the housing, with the nut screwed on the threaded inner end portion of the shank and held against relative rotation by a suitable fastening device such as a cotterpin 30, whereby the connecting member or hook 3 is rotatably mounted relative to the housing with the axis extending therefrom toward the opening 23.

In the structure illustrated, the elongate flexible member 4 is a link chain and the intermediate portion thereof extends over and is engaged with a sprocket 31 rotatably mounted in the chamber or interior 29 of the housing and is operatively connected with the drive means or gear train 6 to be rotated thereby. In the structure illustrated, the sprocket 31 is in the form of a sprocket wheel with a groove 32 having spaced lugs 33 to engage between links of the chain to form a positive driving connection thereto. One flange 34 of the sprocket wheel is fixed relative to a worm gear 35 by means of suitable fastening devices such as screws 36 and the sprocket wheel 31 and worm gear 35 have bearing members such as bushings 37 and 38 respectively sleeved on and rotatably mounted on a shaft 39 that extends through aligned bores 40 and 41 in the housing. In the illustrated structure, the plane of the edges 15 and 16 of the side walls extends through the bores 40 and 41 whereby one-half of each bore is in the respective sections 7 and 8 of the housing. It is preferable that the shaft 39 be clamped, fixed or otherwise removably secured in the housing to prevent rotation of the shaft and, in the illustrated structure, an end portion 42 is knurled or otherwise ridged to form a key with the housing, when the housing sections are clamped together.

The worm gear 35 is adapted to be driven by a worm 43 mounted on and suitably secured to a shaft 44 for rotation therewith, the worm being secured to the shaft by suitable keys such as set screws 45. The worm shaft 44 is rotatably mounted in axially spaced bearing portions 46 and 47 of a carrier 48 which has cylindrical portions 49 and 50 with aligned axes that are spaced laterally from the axis of the shaft 44 whereby the peripheries of the cylindrical portions 49 and 50 are eccentric relative to the axis of the shaft 44. The cylindrical portions 49 and 50 serve as bearing portions rotatably mounted in aligned bearing bores 51 and 52 in the front and rear walls 19 and 20 respectively. The carrier 48 is connected to an operating member 53 adapted to be posittoned externally of the housing 2 and serving to rotate said carrier in the bearing bores 51 and 52. In the illustrated structure, the operating member 53 is an enlarged disc-like member having ears 54 extending therefrom to form a handle or knob structure which has its inner face 55 engaging the outer face of the wall 19 to limit endwise movement of the carrier relative to the housing. The cylindrical portion 50 at the opposite end of the carrier is of sufficient length to extendbeyond the bearing bore 52 and said cylindrical portion has a groove 56 for receiving a locking ring 57 or other suitable retainer for engaging the Wall 20 to limit endwise movement of the carrier whereby the face 55 and locking ring 57 cooperate with the housing in retaining the carrier and the worm on the shaft in proper position. The end portions of the carrier being eccentric to the axis of the shaft 44 and the worm thereon, the central portion 58 of the carrier is offset and extends between the end portions to rigidly connect same. In the structure illustrated, the offset portion is in the form of a connecting wall arcuate in cross-section, spaced from the periphery of the Worm gear, with the end portions of the carrier having inner ends defining a recess 59 in which the worm is positioned. The end portions 66 of the recess are spaced relative to the length of the worm and a suitable washer or other filler 61 is positioned b tween the worm and one end of the recess to provide for only desired clearance and limited endwise movement of the shaft and worm relative to the carrier. The end of the shaft at the control knob end of the carrier extends therefrom and has a polygonal-shaped head 62 adapted to be engaged by a suitable lever 63 for rotation of said shaft. It is preferred that the lever 63 be removable and said lever may be in the form of a socket wrench or the like.

The axis of the bearing openings 51 and 52 is spaced laterally relative to the axis of the worm gear 35 whereby rotation of the carrier provides relative movement of the worm and worm gear and is operative to move the worm in and out of meshing engagement with said worm gear. The translatory or bodily movement of the worm gear is preferably from a disengaged positon, as illustrated in FIG. 2, to a meshing engagement of the Worm and worm gear, asillustrated in FIG. 3, with the teeth on the worm and the worm gear being such that the worm holds the gear against rotation by a pull on the flexible member 4, thereby serving as a self-lock structure to retain the load in lifted or pulled position. When the carrier is moved to effect disengagement of the worm and worm gear, the Worm gear and sprocket are freed whereby they may be rotated and the flexible member pulled to extend same from .the housing, or the opposite end from that connected to a load pulled to take up slack.

It is desirable to latch the carrier 48 in position Wherein the Worm is meshed with the worm gear 35 and, also, to limit the movement of the carrier about the axis of the eccentrics. This is provided by a latching mechanism 64 arranged to have cooperative engagement with the carrier 48 and housing 2. In the illustrated structure, the latching mechanism consists of a pin 65 slidably mounted in a bore 66 in the knob 53 with an enlarged plunger or head 67 on the inner end thereof adapted to engage in a bore or socket 68 in the housing wall 19 when the worm meshes with the Worm gear 35, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The pin 65 has a handle or head 69 fixed on the outer end exteriorly of the knob 53 and is adapted to be pulled to retract the plunger or piston-like head 67 into a counterbore 70 in the knob compressing a spring 71 between the plunger 67 and the shoulder 72 formed by the counterbore, whereby the plunger 67 is disengaged from the housingat the bore 68, freeing the knob 53 and carriage 48 for rotation. It is preferred that the outer surface of the Wall 19 have an elongate recess or groove 73 therein that is arcuate in form whereby the plunger 67 can ride therein during rotative movement of the carrier and the ends of the groove form abutments 74 to define the end of the arcuate or rotative movement of the carrier. It is preferred that a snap ring 75 be positioned on the shaft 39 at one end of the sprocket 31 for cooperation with the housing at the other side of the worm gear to limit end- 4 wise movement of the sprocket and worm gear on said shaft.

In use of a hoist or puller constructed and assembled as described, the connecting member or hook 3 is secured to a suitable fixed support or suspending member as, for example, a fence post 76. The head 69 is grasped and pulled outwardly to disengage the plunger 67 from the bore 63 to release the carrier 48 and then the knob or control member 53 exteriorly of the housing 2 is rotated to disengage the worm from the worm gear 35. One end of the flexible member 4 is grasped and drawn from the housing 2 sufficiently to allow the hook or connecting member 5 thereon to be engaged or connected to a load to be lifted to be pulled as, for example, to a gripper 77 on a wire 78. The other end of the elongate member is then pulled from the housing to take up the slack of the run connected to the wire or load. The knob 53 is then ro ted to swing the carriage 43 to a position to mesh the Worm gear and worm, as illustrated in FIG. 3, in which position the plunger 67 enters the bore or socket 68 to retain said meshing engagement. The handle member 63 is then engaged with the head 62 of the shaft 44 to rotate same which, in turn, rotates the worm to drive the Worm gear 35 and sprocket 31 which, due to the lugs 33 engaging the links of the chain or flexible member, pull the chain whereby the run having the end connected to the load moves into the housing and the other run moves outwardly relative thereto. Continued turning of the worm causes substantial force to be applied to the wire 78 or other load to move same with a minimum of effort on the lever 63. If the lever 63 is released, the engagement of the worm with the worm gear forms a self-locking structure that retains the pull on the load or the tension on the wire. If the wire stretches whereby the end portion of the flexible member connected thereto is wound to the housing, the other end portion of the flexible member is connected by a suitable member to the wire in outwardly spaced relation to the housing 2, and then by rotating the lever 63 in the opposite direction continued pulling force can be applied to the wire, thereby eliminating the necessity of otherwise anchoring the wire during the time a pulling mechanism is reconnected therewith and making consecutive bites thereon.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A portable pulling device comprising,

(a) a housing having connected walls defining a chamber therein,

(b) a load-connecting member connected to the housing and extending therefrom,

(c) said housing having an opening at the portion opposite from said load-connecting member,

(d) a shaft extending through said housing and chamber therein adjacent said opening,

(e) a sprocket wheel on said shaft and rotatable in said housing,

(f) a worm gear fixed relative to said sprocket wheel,

(g) a flexible member having connector members on the ends thereof and an intermediate portion extending through said opening and trained over said sprocket Wheel in driving engagement thereto,

(h) a carrier having spaced end portions with aligned bearing portions mounted in said housing for rotation on an axis spaced from said first-named shaft,

(1) a central portion on said carrier rigidly connecting said end portions and offset laterally from the axis of rotation thereof,

(i) a second shaft rotatable in said carrier on an axis parallel to and offset laterally from said axis of rotation of the carrier,

(k) a worm fixed on said second shaft between the end portions of the carrier,

(Z) the spacing of the axis of the carrier and the axis of the second shaft from said first-named shaft being such that rotation of the carrier bodily moves said worm into and out of meshing engagement with the worm gear,

(m means operatively engageable with said second shaft for rotating same to drive the sprocket wheel through said worm and gear to move the flexible member relative to the housing,

(n) means connected with said carrier for rotating same, and

(o) latch means on the carrier and engageable with portions to limit the extremities of bodily movement of the worm and selectively engageable with the housing to retain the worm in meshing engagement with the worm gear.

2. A portable pulling device comprising,

(a) a housing having connected walls defining a chamber therein,

(b) a load-connecting member connected to the housing and extending therefrom,

(c) said housing having an opening at the portion opposite from said load-connecting member,

(d) a shaft extending through said housing and chamber therein adjacent said opening,

(e) a sprocket wheel on said shaft and rotatable in said housing,

( a worm gear fixed relative to said sprocket wheel,

(g) a flexible member having connector members on the ends thereof and an intermediate portion extending through said opening and trained over said sprocket wheel in driving engagement thereto,

(h) a carrier having spaced end portions with aligned bearing portions mounted in said housing for rotation on an axis spaced from said first-named shaft,

(i) a central portion on said carrier rigidly connecting said end portions and offset laterally from the axis of rotation thereof,

(j) a second shaft rotatable in said carrier on an axis between said central portion and the axis of rotation of the carrier, said second shaft axis being parallel to the axis of rotation of the carrier,

(k) a worm fixed on said second shaft between the end portions of the carrier,

(1) the spacing of the axis of the carrier and the axis of the second shaft from the first-named shaft being such that rotation of the carrier bodily moves said worm into and out of meshing engagement with the worm gear,

(m) said second shaft having a portion extending exteriorly of the housing,

(n) means operatively engageable with said portion of the second shaft for rotating same to drive the sprocket wheel through said worm and gear to move the flexible member relative to the housing,

(0) means exterior-1y of the housing and connected with the carrier for rotating same, and

(p) latch means on the carrier rotating means and engageable with housing portions to limit the extremities of bodily movement of the worm and selectively engageable with the housing to retain the worm in meshing engagement with the worm gear.

Chapman July 2, 1895 Blackburn et al Feb. 5, 1935 

